Identities, Communities, and Inclusive Learning Context

Introduction
               Supporting students begins with understanding who they are. Identity is not left at the classroom door, it shapes how students learn and interact, and is influenced by culture, language, family, race, gender, and personal experience. Inclusion means recognizing and respecting these differences, while also understanding that students from the same culture may still see things differently. Cultural awareness is the first step in being mindful of diverse backgrounds, but culturally responsive practices go further. Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) (Gay, 2000) is an instructional approach that actively draws on students’ cultural strengths to shape teaching, curriculum, and classroom interactions. By connecting learning to students lived experiences and affirming their identities, CRP fosters stronger relationships, deeper engagement, and improved academic outcomes (Banks & Banks, 2004). Inclusive learning also depends on thoughtfully designed physical and digital spaces that promote equity, participation, and a sense of belonging (Kearney, Schuck, Burden, & Aubusson, 2012). To create truly inclusive environments, educators must intentionally design classroom communities that affirm the identities and lived experiences of all learners.    
Culturally Responsive Practice and Teacher Self-Awareness
               The foundational course in the Master’s in Education program explored culturally responsive pedagogy through the works of Gay (2000), Banks and Banks (2004), and Howard (1999). These scholars emphasized the need for teachers to examine their own biases and create environments that reflect and respect students' cultural contexts. As I reflected on my own teaching experience in diverse international settings, I realized that inclusion is not simply about physical presence; it is about voice, power, and belonging. In my Module 1 reflection for CT807: Multicultural Education, I described a moment when cultural misunderstandings between students from different regions, particularly Turkish and Saudi students, caused tension and miscommunication. That experience prompted me to reevaluate how I foster dialogue and build connection across cultural boundaries. As a result, I collaborated with our school counselor to implement a regular program of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and cultural awareness lessons to support mutual understanding and inclusion across the school community.    
Representation, Identity, and the Impact of Media
               As part of C&T807: Multicultural Education, the media analysis assignment challenged me to examine how race, skin tone, and gender are represented in advertising. Drawing on research by Yoon and Kelly (2023), I explored how media reinforces a bias toward lighter skin tones and Western beauty standards, shaping societal perceptions of identity and belonging. This project deepened my understanding of how students internalize messages from media, and it underscored the educator’s responsibility to help them become more critical and reflective in how they interpret those messages. I was surprised to notice similar patterns in my own school environment. Despite being an international school with over 30 nationalities represented, we often overlook how cultural differences in behavior, communication, and expectations can impact student relationships. Many students struggle to connect or build friendships because they misread one another’s actions or intentions through the lens of their own cultural norms. These misunderstandings are compounded by differences in language ability and limited exposure to other worldviews. Yet no specialized program currently exists at the school to explicitly address cultural differences or provide students and teachers with the tools to navigate them. Recognizing and addressing these subtle but significant barriers is essential for creating inclusive, affirming, and identity-safe learning spaces.    
Student Voice and Leadership in Inclusive Curriculum
               The culminating paper in CT807: Multicultural Education offered a chance to apply these insights to my real-world leadership work in Saudi Arabia and with Helsinki International Schools (HEI). Working with a multicultural student population, I realized the urgency of developing a curriculum that is both academically rigorous and culturally affirming. There was a strong need for integrating parents, community members, and teachers from diverse backgrounds into curriculum planning and decision-making. This mirrors Banks and Banks' (2004) call for systemic reform in multicultural education, where all voices have a seat at the table. In Finland, schools offer a student advocacy program in which students meet regularly with teachers and school leadership to share their insights and contribute to school improvement planning (Finnish National Agency for Education, 2022). This model provides a valuable opportunity for student voice and fosters a deeper sense of belonging and investment in the learning environment. Drawing from the Finnish model, I collaborated with the school counselor to implement regular classroom sessions where students sat in a circle and shared ideas for improving their classroom culture and learning experience. These sessions created a safe and inclusive space for students to express themselves, resolve conflicts, and take ownership of their shared environment.
Personal Experience and Language as a Tool for Inclusion
               Equity has also been a recurring theme in my coursework and teaching philosophy. My CT807 M5: Multicultural Education reflection offered personal insight into what it feels like to be a racial minority as a white educator in a predominantly Black community, where I experienced forms of bias and exclusion not often discussed in dominant narratives about race and schooling. That experience, along with case studies on students like Rosa and Isabella, who faced language barriers and social exclusion, helped me connect emotionally and professionally to the urgency of inclusive practice. Halliday (2007) and Hempel et al. (2012) emphasize that language acquisition is embedded in social and cultural interaction, and I saw this clearly in how bilingual and multilingual students often struggle when their identities are not validated in school. One student in particular knew little English, and her native language was Portuguese, which the teacher in her class did not speak. To support her transition and reduce feelings of isolation, we created visual language cards that featured about ten essential words or phrases illustrated with simple pictures. For example, if she needed a tissue, she could hold up a card with a tissue box; if she did not understand a concept, she could use a card with a question mark. These cards gave her a voice, allowed her to express needs on her own terms, and helped her engage with her learning environment more confidently. This strategy validated her identity by acknowledging her home language and cultural background, offering her dignity, agency, and a sense of belonging in the classroom.
                Pedagogically, I was introduced to powerful instructional models that directly support identity and community. In the M5 and M6 infographic assignments from Instructional Strategies and Models, I explored the social and personal models of teaching, including collaborative inquiry, growth mindset, and humanistic approaches developed by Rogers (1969) and Glasser (1998). These models emphasize student agency, well-being, and emotional safety. Each of these elements is a key part in building inclusive classrooms where every learner feels valued and supported. I applied these principles in my Finnish-inspired lesson planning by incorporating role play, student-led projects, and multi-sensory tools that engage learners in ways that are both developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive. These strategies not only enhance engagement but also affirm students’ diverse identities and experiences within the learning process (Gay, 2000).
Dialogic Teaching and Culturally Responsive Dialogue
               There is a strong alignment between inclusive learning and dialogic teaching, as introduced in Alexander’s work (2008). His emphasis on classroom ‘talk’ as a space for mutual respect, reciprocity, and cumulative learning informed how I design opportunities for students to share their perspectives. For example, using Padlet to post multilingual responses or designing group inquiry tasks around community-based phenomena has allowed students to draw from their backgrounds while engaging with peers. In Finnish schools, this also includes the regular use of circle time, where students gather to discuss and understand learning concepts, social-emotional learning (SEL) topics, and cultural differences in a supportive and inclusive environment. Circle time reflects the principles of dialogic teaching by creating a structured space for open dialogue, reciprocal listening, and shared understanding among students and teachers. It also aligns with the broader Finnish framework that emphasizes social-emotional learning, inclusion, and student voice as essential components of holistic development (Finnish National Agency for Education, 2022).
Rekla Consulting and Systemic Inclusion
               The knowledge and practical experience I gained throughout this program have not only shaped my work as a classroom teacher and curriculum leader, but also laid the foundation for my consulting business, Rekla Consulting and Learning Studios. One of Rekla’s core pillars is designing inclusive, Finnish-inspired professional development for schools around the world. Through Rekla, I facilitate workshops that guide educators in applying culturally responsive instructional models and co-creating learning environments that foster a keen sense of belonging for every student. I incorporate tools such as Inside-Out Learning, community mapping, and multilingual resource banks to help teachers connect learning to their students’ experiences. Inside-Out Learning begins with students reflecting on their personal identities and cultural backgrounds, then linking those insights to broader academic content and community issues. Community mapping engages students and teachers in exploring the social, cultural, and environmental assets of their local communities, allowing curriculum to be grounded in real-world context. Multilingual resource banks are curated collections of books, media, and classroom tools in students’ home languages, designed to validate linguistic diversity and support access to content for multilingual learners. These strategies support schools in moving beyond token inclusion and toward systemic equity and identity-affirming practices that are embedded in curriculum, pedagogy, and school culture.
Inclusive Leadership in Learning Spaces
               My commitment to inclusion also shaped how I approached collaboration and leadership in the Learning Spaces project. I practiced inclusive leadership by encouraging every group member to contribute, refining visual design to accommodate diverse learning needs, and fostering a professional community rooted in mutual respect. The project reinforced that inclusive education is shaped not only by curriculum and instructional strategies, but also by the physical and digital environments where learning takes place. According to Kearney, Schuck, Burden, and Aubusson (2012), thoughtfully designed spaces that promote collaboration, personalization, and authenticity can significantly enhance inclusive learning experiences.
Conclusion
               Inclusive education is not a checklist. It is a mindset, and an ongoing practice grounded in deep respect for human difference. Throughout this program, I have come to understand that inclusion must be woven into every aspect of school life from classroom talk and culturally responsive pedagogy to leadership, physical space, and curriculum design. These experiences have deeply informed my professional identity and helped shape the mission of Rekla Consulting and Learning Studios. I am committed to supporting educators in building learning environments where every student feels seen, heard, and empowered. By translating research into action and drawing from Finnish-inspired models of inclusion, I will continue to advocate for identity-affirming education that equips all learners to thrive.

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